Only Time Will Tell
by Refracted Shadow
Summary: Dustil has to find a way to deal with the lies he's been fed, but will he... only time will tell.


_Author's Notes: All characters are from Knights of the Old Republic by Bioware._

"Ah, Dustil m'boy, I hear promising words of you," Saul Karath commented as he took in the meager furnishings of the boy's quarters. "Are they treating you well?"

"Yes, sir," said Dustil, his voice brimming with confidence. Two years in the Sith academy on Korriban had made Dustil aware of the power he wielded and brought with it an arrogance that most Sith possessed.

"Good to hear." After retrieving the boy from the bombardment of Telos, Saul had watched over him; he made trips to Korriban whenever he was able. Saul was determined not to make the same mistakes he did with Carth. "You'll do well, m'boy. I see you accomplishing greater things than your father ever will."

Dustil tensed in a mixture of hope and rage at the mention of his father. While part of him wished to see his father again the other part wanted to take revenge if he saw him again. "My father is a failure. He let my mother die!"

Saul sighed. While he understood the boy's anger, he still felt for his old protégé. "Carth, your father, is a great soldier, but as good of a soldier as he is, Carth lacks foresight. He risked yours and your mother's safety for his own pride; he chose the losing side when all the signs were right in front of him."

"But that is in the past, Dustil." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Like I said, you'll accomplish great things. This academy will train you in things I will never truly understand. You could end up being in a position of power within the Sith if you listen to Master Uthar and work hard."

* * *

_Lies! It was all lies!_ Dustil thought as he read over the datapad in his hands once again. "Well, maybe not all of it," he muttered to himself. He would have power and he would probably accomplish great things—depending on the point of view. But was joining the Sith worth the price of admission? A few days ago he would have said yes. 

_Killed because she was hindering my progress?_ He couldn't bear to think that his lacking as a Sith caused Selene's death, but the truth was right in front of him. _Uthar said she'd had an accident. But in reality she was killed because she was my friend._ Anger welled within him, but this was not the place to vent. A few people on the transport looked Dustil's way as lightning traveled across his fingertips.

_Fracking Sith killed her because I liked her!_ his mind screamed. Dustil threw the datapad into his pack as to avoid the temptation of reading it again. _It's my fault Selene is dead. Maybe it would have been better if we had never met._ Blinking, Dustil noticed for the first time since reading the datapad that his eyes were filled with tears. Cursing himself, he wiped them away with a rough swipe. "She didn't need to die. She didn't need to die!"

"Who didn't need to do die, son?" asked an older man sitting next to Dustil.

Dustil glared at the man. "None of your business, old man, leave me alone." The last thing he wanted to do was pour his heart out to some random person on a transport. _I don't need anyone's pity._

The one thing Dustil was thankful for at the moment was that he got a chance to leave the Sith before it was too late. _I have to give father credit for that at least._ "Selene didn't get a chance, but I did," he murmured. "I'll try to do what's right; I'll try to make up the damage I've caused." But Dustil wasn't sure what to think of his father. Carth had been gone for four years and in that time Dustil blamed him for everything that had happened; he couldn't just forget that because Carth wanted his son back. Though Dustil was unsure if he should feel ashamed at blaming his father for things out of his control; or feel righteous anger because it took Carth four years to finally arrive.

One thing Dustil did know was that he would see his father again in time and that they would figure things out then. _Maybe we'll be able to work things out. Only time will tell._


End file.
